Tag Archives: rom com

Freebie, Reading List, romance

Friday Freebies!

Leave a comment

What better way to end the week with some awesome free books? Check these out:

Reasonable Doubt (Reasonable Doubt #1) by Whitney G
20761374.jpgMy cock has an appetite.
A huge and very particular appetite: Blonde, curvy, and preferably not a fucking liar… (Although, that’s a story for another day.)
As a high profile lawyer, I don’t have time to waste on relationships, so I fulfill my needs by anonymously chatting and sleeping with women I meet online.
My rules are simple: One dinner. One night. No repeats.
This is only casual sex. Nothing more. Nothing less.
At least it was , until “Alyssa”…
She was supposed to be a 27 year old lawyer, a book hoarder, and completely unattractive. She was supposed to be someone I shared law advice with late at night, someone I could trust with details of my weekly escapades.
But then she came into my firm for an interview—a college-intern interview, and everything fucking changed…
Goodreads: 4.12
Amazon: 4.6

Everly (Striking Back #1) by S.M. Shade
25258166.jpgThe first time I met Mason Reed, we were standing naked in a bank, surrounded by guns.
That should have been a warning.
An MMA champion, trainer, and philanthropist, but not a man who gives up easily, Mason is trouble dipped in ink and covered in muscle.
Growing up in foster care, I’m well aware that relationships are temporary, and I do my best to avoid them. After a sheet clenching one night stand, I’m happy to move on, but Mason pursues me relentlessly. Sweet, caring, protective, and at times, a bossy control freak, this persistent man has climbed inside my heart, and I can’t seem to shake him.
After saving me from a life threatening situation, he’s also won something much harder to obtain. My trust. But does he deserve it? Is his true face the one he shows the world? Or is his charitable, loving manner only a thin veneer?
This book contains sexual situations and is intended for ages 18 and older.
This book has a ton of triggers so read cautiously. It is an amazing book and series but deals with dark themes and topics.
Goodreads: 3.93
Amazon: 4.2

Your Irresistible Love (The Bennett Family Book 1) by Layla Hagen
27847347.jpgSebastian Bennett is a determined man. It’s the secret behind the business empire he built from scratch. Under his rule, Bennett Enterprises dominates the jewelry industry. Despite being ruthless in his work, family comes first for him, and he’d do anything for his parents and eight siblings—even if they drive him crazy sometimes. . . like when they keep nagging him to get married already.
Sebastian doesn’t believe in love, until he brings in external marketing consultant Ava to oversee the next collection launch. She’s beautiful, funny, and just as stubborn as he is. Not only is he obsessed with her delicious curves, but he also finds himself willing to do anything to make her smile.
He’s determined to have Ava, even if she’s completely off limits.
Ava Lindt has one job to do at Bennett Enterprises: make the next collection launch unforgettable. Daydreaming about the hot CEO is definitely not on her to-do list. Neither is doing said CEO. The consultancy she works for has a strict policy—no fraternizing with clients. She won’t risk her job. Besides, Ava knows better than to trust men with her heart.
But their sizzling chemistry spirals into a deep connection that takes both of them by surprise. Sebastian blows through her defenses one sweet kiss and sinful touch at a time. When Ava’s time as a consultant in his company comes to an end, will Sebastian fight for the woman he loves or will he end up losing her?
Goodreads: 4.41
Amazon: 4.6

Telling Lies (A Sam Mason Mystery Book 1) by L.A. Dobbs
34636075.jpgThe small police force of White Rock, New Hampshire, is still reeling from the death of Officer Tyler Richardson when they are called to the scene of the accidental drowning of an out-of-town camper.
But Chief Sam Mason and Sergeant Jody Harris soon discover the drowning was no accident. Someone murdered Lynn Palmer and staged the scene to make it look that way.
With a pool of suspects who aren’t telling the truth and a corrupt mayor who wants the case solved yesterday, Sam and Jo follow a puzzling trail of clues with a surprise ending. And when a stray dog points them in the right direction, Sam discovers the killer is closer than he thought.
Just when Sam and Jo think they can rest after having solved Lynn’s murder, a shocking discovery proves that sometimes even those you trust can be telling lies.
Goodreads: 3.92
Amazon: 4.2

The MacKinnion’s Bride (The Highland Brides Book 1) by Tanya Anne Crosby
17425617.jpgDescended of the legendary sons of MacAlpin, Iain MacKinnon refuses to bow to the English. When his young son is captured by a minion of the English king, the fierce Scottish chieftain vows to stop at nothing to secure the lad’s return. Retaliating in kind, he captures the daughter of his enemy, planning to bargain with the devil.
FitzSimon’s daughter has lived her entire life in the shadow of the man she called father–yet never would she have imagined he would forsake his only daughter. Even as Page blames her captor for welching on a contract with her father, she suspects the truth. But the shadows hold secrets … now only the love of her reluctant champion can save the MacKinnon’s Bride.
Goodreads: 3.85
Amazon: 4.3

The Debt Collector (A Jack Winchester Thriller #1) by Jon Mills
28489486.jpgJack Winchester was a notorious hitman for a ruthless New Jersey crime family until a job went wrong, and he wound up serving time. Four years later, Jack is free and he wants out of the game, but his boss won’t let him go. Forced to take on one last job to make amends for what landed him in prison, he travels to the small town of Rockland Cove, Maine. There, he not only discovers that the target and money have disappeared; he finds himself falling for a damaged woman, and befriending an unruly son left behind. Under mounting pressure from his boss and local police–as well as the ghosts of his past–he must unravel the mystery and decide where his loyalties lie…before it’s too late.

Goodreads: 4.08
Amazon: 4.3

Scenes from the Hallway (Knitting in the City #6.5) by Penny Reid
38524539.jpgHAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
From the USA TODAY Bestselling romantic comedy series, ‘Scenes from the Hallway,’ Knitting in the City #6.5.
You know who I am.
I swear too much, I crack too many jokes, and I got a thing for Kat Tanner; a messy thing, a distracting thing, a getting-in-the-way-of-everything thing; a thing that makes being in the same room with the woman torture. Sometimes it’s the good kind. Mostly, it’s not.
What you don’t know is how it all started. You don’t know how we met, you might not know what happened in Vegas (or the morning after), and you definitely don’t know what happened after that.
You want to know the story before the story? Well… here you go.
But be careful what you ask for. As I’ve discovered the hard way, you might not like it.
‘Scenes from the Hallway’ is a companion short prequel/short story (11k words) for ‘Marriage of Inconvenience,’ and includes the first 3 chapters of the soon to be released novel! (‘Marriage of Inconvenience’ releases March 6, 2018.)
WARNING: This short story contains a lot of cussing. Do not download or read if you dislike curse words in novels.
Goodreads: 4.49
Amazon: 4.7

Craving (Steel Brothers Saga #1) by Helen Hardt
34515463After being left at the altar, Jade Roberts seeks solace at her best friend’s ranch on the Colorado western slope. Her humiliation still ripe, she doesn’t expect to be attracted to her friend’s reticent brother, but when the gorgeous cowboy kisses her, all bets are off.
Talon Steel is broken. Having never fully healed from a horrific childhood trauma, he simply exists, taking from women what is offered and giving nothing in return…until Jade Roberts catapults into his life. She is beautiful, sweet, and giving, and his desire for her becomes a craving he fears he’ll never be able to satisfy.
Passion sizzles between the two lovers…but long-buried secrets haunt them both and may eventually tear them apart.
Goodreads: 4.05
Amazon: 4.2

Misadventures of a Virgin (Misadventures #1) by Meredith Wild
36320338.jpg***MISADVENTURES ARE STANDALONE ROMANCES THAT CAN BE READ IN ANY ORDER***
It’s been years since June Bell shared a stolen moment with her girlhood crush, Kase McCasker. It’s been just as long since Kase’s father nixed the sale of the McCasker farm to expand the grounds of the Bell’s grand hotel. Now that Kase is back home for good, June might be the only person who can persuade him to reconsider the abandoned plan. But how can she face him again after he left her without a word?
Four years ago, unexpected news shook the foundation of Kase McCasker’s world. Escaping Falls Edge for college was the perfect excuse to chase his demons and bury his pain. Now, with a degree in hand and a void he can’t fill, he’s back in the little mountain town he thought he’d never call home again. Searching for purpose, he’s determined to put down roots and take over the struggling farm that’s been in his family for generations.
Time and distance haven’t taken the edge off his preoccupation with June, the spitfire daughter of his father’s rival. He hasn’t forgotten their time together and all the things they did and didn’t do. One look at her has him reconsidering the future and making a dangerous deal to win her over. Is a chance at her heart worth risking everything else?
Goodreads: 4.12
Amazon: 4.5

Born, Darkly (Darkly, Madly Duet #1) by Trisha Wolfe
32758410He challenged her sanity.
She shattered his reality.
They dared each other…to the brink of madness.
A dark and twisted maze awaits criminal psychologist London Noble when she falls for her patient, convicted serial killer, Grayson Pierce Sullivan. As she unravels the traps, her sanity tested with each game, she’s forced to acknowledge the true evil in the world around her.
Goodreads: 4.34
Amazon: 4.8

 

 

Have you ready any of these books? Let me know what you thought of them!
Happy Fri-yay!!

Book Review, romance

Wallflowers: Three of a Kind (Wallflowers #1) by C.P. Smith Review

Leave a comment

wallflower1

 

blurb

32731553.jpg

WARNING: Author believes in soul mates and insta-love. Proceed with caution if you’re not a romantic at heart.
“Romance and poetry, ivy, lichens, and wallflowers, need ruin to make them grow.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

They say money is the root of all evil, but sometimes, evil lurks in the most unlikely places.

Calla Lily Armstrong spent her whole life shielding her heart. Now she’s ready to break down her walls and see what’s hiding on the other side. With the help of her new friends, Poppy Gentry and Sienna Miller, the three band together to find their happily ever after. One Wallflower at a time.

Former Atlanta Homicide Detective, Devin Hawthorne, moved to Savannah for a change of pace and a fresh start as a Private Investigator. He finds it right under his nose in the form of a Southern beauty who drives him to distraction, and deadly secrets that threaten her very life.

Rated mature for language and sexual content.

author

CP Smith writes humorous, ooey-gooey romantic suspense with OTT alphas, insta-love, and LOTS of dead bodies! She believes books should be about escape rather than reality. Ms. Smith writes what she likes to read and leaves the rest to those with better imaginations. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and five children. You can follow her on Facebook.

review

4star.png

CP Smith did such an amazing job with this novel. I truly enjoyed the antics of the Wallflowers, and I really liked watching the men in the novel try to keep up with them. Although Calla is a self-proclaimed Wallflower, she is not weak. Calla, a.k.a Cali, lost her parents and brother when she was very young, so tried to keep herself away from everyone to protect herself, and protect those she could possibly love. She doesn’t see the beauty she innately has, and it draws Devin in like a moth to a flame. She puts herself in some uncomfortable positions to help others, she reads a lot of historical romance novels, and she makes sure she backs her friends up when they need her. I would love to have a friend like Calla in my life.

Not only does es-Atlanta cop Devin have to come to terms with the insta-love he feels for Calla, and the surging of protective alpha in his veins for a woman that loves to make his job difficult, he has to deal with a missing woman, two murders, and someone trying to hurt Cali. And the plot continues to thicken as the novel continues. I’m not sure how it works in real life, but it seemed to play out like a TV show with trying to connect the dots. And HELLO PLOT TWIST at the end! That was a complete shocker, and it just made the novel that much better.

The one thing I wish was done differently was to have a better distinction between Calla and Devin’s point of view. The novel starts off with Cali covertly watching *cough*stalking*cough* Devin, and it’s written in first person. Devin’s point of view is written in third-person. Although this was a clever way to do it, it definitely made it a tad bit confusing when there wasn’t a real line break, just an extra space in between the paragraphs. This was just a personal preference though. Once I got into the book more, it was easier to keep up.

C.P had me hooked from the first time Calla saw Devin, and then reading how Devin felt when he saw Calla, and I just could not put this novel down. I can’t wait to read Until Susan for the Happily Ever Alpha Kindle Worlds!

wallflowers3

 

 

Reading List

Books to Get You Out of a Book Slump

Leave a comment

We’ve all been there… you read an AWESOME, amazing book and then everything you try to read after it just can’t compare… and you’re stuck wanting to read a book, sometimes by authors you know you like, or wanting to read anything but you just can’t. Here are 10 books I try to read to get me back into my book flow.

  1. Becoming a Vincent (Wild Ones #1) by C.M. Owens
    35487055.jpgGenre: Romantic Comedy
    Setting: Tomahawk, WA.
    I found C.M. Owens earlier this year and MAN can this woman write. Everything from paranormal, to romantic comedies, she is amazing. The Wild Ones Series is like nothing I’ve read before. The antics the Wild Ones pull in Tomahawk make me want to find this place and move there. This is the story of Layla Vincent, Benson Nolans, and beards. Yes, I’m serious, beards. Benson and Layla have been friends for three years. While both feel a certain way for the other, neither is willing to take the risk of losing their friendship, until one night everything changes. Fireworks, crazy brothers pranks, and a water cannon fight ensues. This book is pure hilarity from the Wild Ones Rules at the beginning of each chapter to the challenges the community has. If you’re looking for a pick me up: this series is for you. More books are coming in this series, so keep a look out!
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  2. When You Dare (Men Who Walk The Edge of Honor #1) by Lori Foster
    men1Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Romance
    Setting: Kentucky
    This definitely has some triggers and the whole series is based off of darker themes. Although I highly recommend this book and the series, please read the description first. Dare Macintosh meets Molly Alexander in the most unusual setting: she was kidnapped by the same sex traffickers that kidnapped his best friend’s little sister. Dare tracked them down and rescued Alani, and the other women that were held there, but Molly didn’t look like the usual suspect. She was beaten and starved. So why was she kidnapped? Dare finds himself helping and protecting Molly. And doing something he was never supposed to do, especially not with a client: fall in love.
    Dare and Molly’s story is filled with suspense, crazy people, and love. It is a story with angst, action and adventure, and love that will blow you away. If you’re looking for a dark romance: this is the book for you. Lori Foster always writes amazing novels, but this is my favorite series of hers, and the first book I ever read from her.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  3. A Gentle Feuding by Johanna Lindsey
    774029Genre: Historical Romance
    Setting: Scotland
    Do you remember the first romance novel you read? The one that had *sex* in it? In high school, I read a lot of YA, and a lot of YA romance, but A Gentle Feuding was my first historical romance novel that started my downhill slide into addiction. It is the typical grudge match, starting with a misunderstanding, with some plaid and lots of manly Scottish men in their kilts. It is the story of Sheena, the jewel of the Fergusson tower, and Jamie MacKinnion, a violent man feared by all, and their love blossoming under years of clan duty dictating they hate each other.
    Because this was the first historical novel I read, I go back to it often when I need to re-read a book and get me out of a slump. Each time, I fall in love with Sheena and Jamie all over again. Each time, I yell at them both for being stubborn. And each time, I fall back down the rabbit hole that is the romance genre. *enter girlie sigh here*
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  4. Property of Drex (Death Chasers #1) by C.M. Owens
    29516776Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Halo, Texas
    This is the second C.M. book on the list because it’s one of my favorites of hers. It’s a motorcycle club book, which ensures there’s death, drugs, guns, and some serious daddy issues. This book ends on a cliff hanger, but the second in the series doesn’t. The first two in the series follow Evie Marks and Drex Caine. Evie’s family is struggling financially since her father’s death so she does the only thing she can think to do, sell herself. She ends up with Drex Caine and the Death Dealers, and she is there permanently. The others don’t trust her, she doesn’t trust her feelings, and there’s dissent within the club. Evie struggles coming to terms with the fact that she loves life in the club, and Drex struggles with someone who once wanted to be a math teacher wanting to stay in the club. This book is inherently darker in it’s nature, but if you’re into the darker themed books, this one is so worth it. The first is even free on Amazon and B&N so download your copy.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  5. Born of Night (The League/Nemesis Rising #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
    2992061Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance
    Setting: 3000 years in the future.
    This was the first sci-fi book I ever read. I was working at a convenience store as a cashier, and a woman I was ringing up had this book with her and recommended it to me. Sherrilyn Kenyon has the amazing ability to interweave her stories together, creating multiple timelines and intricate stories. This is the first in the series, and it blows my mind every time I read it. Every. Time. This is the love story of ex-assassin Nykrian Quiakides and ballerina Kiara Zamir. It is the love story of how they find each other, and how they save each other (although Nyk would argue that Kiara saved him not the other way around.) I never thought I would be into the sci-fi thing, and in many ways I’m still not a big fan, but the universe Sherrilyn creates, and the languages she makes, are stunning. I have read the entire series three times (I think) and I always pre-order the books when they come out. The characters are dynamic, and you end up falling in love with characters you swore you would always hate. It’s truly stunning. Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  6. The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) by Julia Quinn
    110391Genre: Historical Romance
    Setting: London, England, 1813.
    This is the first in the Bridgerton series, and it is one that always warms my heart. Daphne and Simon struggle so much, and not in the typical “I’m a Duke/Duchess and cannot marry you because you’re beneath my station” way. Julia Quinn weaves a story filled with heartache, laughter, and a love that I want for myself. Daphne is an almost-on-the-shelf lady looking for a good husband, and hopefully a love match that her parents had. Simon is a duke looking to avoid marriage at all costs. Daphne is also the little sister of Simon’s best friend.
    Daphne and Simon’s love story starts with friendship, a fake courtship, and grows into love. I picked this book up at the library one day, and ever since, when I want to read a historical romance, I go to this book if I have nothing else. It is definitely one of my favorites.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  7. It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars #1) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
    73070Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Chicago, IL.
    This is the love story of Phoebe Somerville and Dan Calebow. I don’t know if I can count how many times I have re-read this book. Phoebe is a Marilyn Monroe-type blonde bombshell who uses her good looks to make people think she’s an idiot. (Spoiler: she’s not). Dan Calebow is the coach for the Chicago Stars, a fictitious football team that Phoebe has just inherited from her dead father. Dan’s not happy, Phoebe’s not happy. The two struggle to find a balance, both professionally and personally.
    This novel has everything I love: football, women who are in power and ROCK it, men who find intelligence and women in power sexy, and romance. This is a mostly fun novel to read. There are some dark themes in it, which led to Phoebe’s act of the dumb blonde, but it is not so much that it weighs the book down. If you’re looking for some fun with football, you need to check this out.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  8. Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton
    30281Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Horror, Romance
    Setting: St. Louis, MO.
    If you’re looking for a traditional romance, move along. This is a 25 (26th coming this summer) book series that covers everything from vampire hunting, zombie animator, were-animals, polyamory, and lots and lots of death. There’s also some old school monsters/gods/goddesses in there too. Seriously, it’s a lot. It begins with Anita Blake and her single minded dislike for vampires (with very good reason) and being the Vampire Hunter with the most legal kills in her name, and her coming to terms with love. Love with many, many people. And what love means when it comes to working with the police department. It is one of the most original series I have ever read, and it’s always fun to re-read Guilty Pleasures to see how far Anita has come since she started out 10 years earlier. There’s lots of bloodshed, lots of sex, and lots of paranormal crap explained. Laurell weaves an intricate web, creating an entire world that I so want to live in.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  9. Fallen Crest High (Fallen Crest #1) by Tijan
    21936321Genre: YA/Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Fallen Crest, CA (it’s not a real place but Tijan has confirmed it’s somewhere in Cali).
    This series starts with Sam, Mason and Logan all in high school, but as the series continues you see them go to college. Sam’s mom divorces her dad and moves in with Mason and Logan’s father. Both parents put their children through hell, and Sam doesn’t deal with her mother well. Mason and Logan take Sam under their wing, protecting her from her mother and from the other school girls that are infuriated that Sam is living with the Kade brothers (because obviously their star football players and very popular), and that she starts dating Mason (the un-dateable of the two brothers.)
    I actually found this series while reading a different book, read the first chapter on Amazon for free, and was hooked. Mason, even in high school, is super protective of Sam and I adore it. Sam finding her way in life as more and more curve balls are thrown at her, while falling in love and gaining a brother, is dramatic, suspenseful, and everything I need when I want a darker, high school novel. Tijan always delivers the emotional punches to the gut in the absolute best way possible.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  10. #Nerd (Hashtag #1) by Cambria Herbert
    23493256Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Maryland
    This is your typical nerd girl/popular boy love story. Rimmel and Romeo seem like complete opposites, and they really are, but their love story is one of my favorites. Rimmel is the A+ scholarship student, hiding behind her baggy clothes and big glasses, afraid to make friends; and Romeo is the alpha Quaterback that’s looking to make a name for himself in the NFL. He is popular on campus, and is loved everywhere he goes. The growth of Rimmel and Romeo as individuals and as a couple, both coming to love and accept each other’s faults, is beautiful. When I need a good pick me up, I read this.
    It does have some darker themes, with crazy psycho stalkers and dealing with the death of Rim’s mother, but for the most part, it’s not a scary read. And the flow of the novel is perfect. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited so download it now!
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.

 

Book Review

I Wanna Play Hyde and Seek!

Leave a comment

Untitled design (3)Hellooooooo jello legs.

HOLY HANNAH MONTANA. Looking for a new OTT(over the top) brooding alpha man for your romance collection? Look no further than Layla Frost’s Hyde and Seek series. She’s one of the authors writing in the Kindle Happily Ever After Crossover series with Aurora Rose Reynolds, and she’s writing Until Nox (and I am in desperate need for this book.)

I think my favorite alpha is the borderline-neanderthal kind, and Layla Frost’s Jack Hyde is such a caveman. The book kept me smiling from the very first “Babe” and had just enough twist in it to make me seriously want to cry and scream. But I held myself together enough to read it. Jack is a mechanic and owns his own shop, and Piper Skye is starting her own cake business.

Piper wins over almost everyone she meets by just being herself. Maybe feeding a bunch of huge, mega hunky guys with sweets she bakes to perfection helps too. Normally, when there’s a character that is so charming the people around them can’t help but be protective of them makes me want to gag. But it’s hard to hate Piper. She’s fictional, but I so wish I could meet her and be her friend. She won me over. Her sweet exterior totally matches with her sweet interior, but she knows how to rock. My favorite kind of people.

Jack Hyde makes me want to fan myself while I’m reading. And I’m not a fan of the man-bun or long hair look usually, but thinking about this caveman with long hair? Yeah totally did it for me. His rough, grunting ways are not because he is unable to speak, just that he chooses his words. And when shit hits the fan, he chooses to use more hands-on methods. His insecurities with dating someone ten years younger than him (plus some!) get to him, but he and Piper work it out. With the help of some friends.

If you read my Brynne Asher review, you know that one of my biggest pet peeves in a book is discounting therapy as unnecessary because they are fine, or don’t need it. Well, after some traumatic events, Piper needs therapy. And she admits she needs it! There’s not as much depth as I would have liked, but the acceptance of needing to gather more tools to help cope with something you weren’t equipped to handle, is something I think more authors should be doing.

There were some editing choices at the end that I wasn’t a fan of. There was a lot of quick flashbacks, and back and forth between Jack and Piper’s POV. Most of Hyde and Seek was told through Piper’s POV. Adding Jack in there was something I loved to see, but the back and forth on the timeline was a little disconcerting. It did help to amp up the anxiety and tense situation, but it just wasn’t my favorite aspect.

Untitled design (4)

The love that Piper and Jake find together is truly amazing. It is all consuming. But my favorite part that Layla details, is the parts you don’t think about. It can be hard to detail the little things that make you fall in love with someone. It’s not always the big grand gestures, but the way that someone searches for you in a crowded room, or the way they look and you when no one is watching. Layla manages to effortlessly make you fall in love with characters as they fall in love, while getting glimpses into the life that is hard to detail. As an author, you can’t always show or describe those little things, but Layla slips them in there.

So my rating? FOUR SOLID STARS. I cannot wait to devour everything Layla Frost has to offer. Her books are offered on Kindle Unlimited if you are a subscriber, but I am totally buying them the second I get the chance.

Follow Layla Frost on Facebook!

 

By the way… I’m totally finding amazing books by being in crazy book clubs on Facebook, and Layla has one for her cupcakes!

Book Review

Who Doesn’t Love Big Crazy Families?

3 Comments

In anticipation for the Kindle World’s Until crossover series (also known as the “Happily Ever Alpha Kindle World”), based on Aurora Rose Reynolds’ Until Him/Her series, I’ve gone and read some of the authors crossing over. It’s releasing in April 2018 and I am so excited, because I seriously love the whole Mayson crew. (And Until Harmony comes out March 6th, look for my review after it’s released!)

The first author I picked up was Brynne Asher, and the Carpino series, because Byrnne’s novel, Until Avery, will be a crossover with this series. And Ms. Asher, I NEED MORE! It was a short series, only three books, but there were so many people that could have had a story, and the family is just so crazy, that I cannot wait until Avery releases. I need more Carpino’s in my life.

The first novel is Overflow, starring Gabby Carpino and Jude Ortiz.

BeFunky Design

Gabby is an interior decorator, not designer don’t mess it up, with a huge, crazy Italian family. After decorating her friend’s laundry room, the FBI and ATF come barging in, hand cuff her, and pat her down. Jude Ortiz is the FBI agent that pat her down, and then barges his way into her life when she could be in even more danger. Jude, with his police get up, ability to put Gabby in a Jude coma with his kisses, and his bossy-ness, not-so-slowly moves into Gabby’s life and home, protecting her and going out of his mind with worry. Because as much as Gabby likes Jude’s bossy behavior, she still gets her way when she wants to.

This book started out slow. So slow, I was seriously worried if I would be able to finish it. I loved Gabby and Jude almost from the beginning, but because Gabby is an interior decorator, it seemed the first chapter was dedicated to just the laundry room Gabby had designed. Gabby’s eye for detail certainly made her job a profitable one, but the paragraphs dedicated to just how a room looked, were not for me. I bullied through, and I am so glad that I did. Gabby and Jude’s love story is one that I don’t think I will ever be able to get over. It has the perfect amount of struggle and darkness, and tons of comedy to keep it light, and fun.

After giving Overflow 4 stars, I moved onto Beautiful Life.

BeFunky Design4

This story had some more darker themes to it. Leigh, who is Gabby’s best friend since they were 8, has an abusive ex-husband, whom she left because she got pregnant and he beat her. She miscarried. Tony Carpino, who is Gabby’s cousin, who’s always had a thing for Leigh but waited too long, slowly moves in so he can get his chance to be with her. Leigh, who is still struggling with the four years she spent with her husband, and still coming to terms with how to be Leigh again, tries to ignore her feelings for Tony. Gabby was in a Jude Coma, Leigh had Tony Torture. Little touches, gentle caresses, that Tony gave Leigh to show her that he was not Preston, he would never be Preston, and he was going to wait until she was ready. He pushed, just enough for Leigh.

This book was a little darker in it’s nature. Leigh’s life was a hard one, but Brynne makes expertly navigates the emotional trauma Leigh suffered, and Tony’s struggle to be with Leigh, help her move forward with her life and not be stuck living in her mental prison, but also end up happy with her. The one thing that bothered me, that bothers me about all books that have an extreme emotional and physical trauma, is that everyone says their fine and they don’t need to see a therapist. Like going to therapy is a bad thing. Therapy is not bad! And I’d love to see more authors writing a more accepting view of therapy.

But I think that’s more my personal issue than an actual issue with the book. I have never been the victim of physical abuse so I don’t know how it feels to be abused by someone, and I can’t tell if this accurately portrays that. I do know, that it was believable.

My one question: for all that Gabby and her friends complained about Preston being an asshole, and never seeing Leigh, how could they not know that he was being abusive?! It seemed pretty obvious to me.

Still 4 out of 5 stars!

The last of the series is my favorite installment, Athica Lane.

BeFunky Design5

This is the story that, start to finish, kept me smiling and laughing. Paige Carpino meets Cam Montgomery after literally bumping into him at a burger store. After they’re both a mean to each they’re both mean to each other, they go their separate ways thinking they will never see each other again. But, Paige is watching his kids while her sister Sophia is on her anniversary vacation. While Cam would love to never see her again, and vice-versa, Cam’s kids quickly fall in love with her. Cam and Paige struggle with some crazy events, and Cam struggles with his ex-wife Bekki with an i (please read this novel so you can understand that reference), and the damage she did to him when she left him with two kids.

The third installment of the Carpinos includes two crazy families, a lot of psychos, and some more darker themes. This is probably the craziest of the three books when it comes to struggles, but it is also my favorite. I was engaged from beginning to end, constantly waiting for the next part, the next crazy antic that would happen. My favorite part? There’s something that Paige wants that Cam can’t give her, and she sticks with it. She agrees there’s things she has to do, to stay safe; she agrees there’s things she has to do for the kids, and will do everything she can to protect them; but she will not give up her dreams. And she doesn’t force Cam.

I do love a strong heroine.

This book? 5 stars. Hands down.

“You’re going to go down in the books as a first class donkey face with a pile of shit on your head.” – Jen Montgomery

Quotes like the one above are what made me laugh out loud, literally. Brynne’s writing is amazing. And she truly brings the Carpino family to life. I cannot wait to continue reading more of Brynne’s work.

Book Review

How to Date a Douchebag Review

Leave a comment

**SPOILER ALERTS BELOW!!**

Early February Sara Ney came out with another stunner in her How to Date a Douchebag series. This time, it’s the Coaching Hours.

This addition to the series was a little different. First, we get to see Elliot, Sebastion “Oz” Osbourne and Zeke Daniels’ roommate from the first two books in the series. I, for one, was so excited to see Elliot’s return! But, Elliot is not a douchebag.

Elliot’s love interest? The wrestling coach’s daughter, Anabelle. And Anabelle is not a douchebag either.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. But where are the douchebags?

The douchebags come in the form of Rex Gunderson, wrestling team manager, and Eric Johnson, member of the wrestling team. These two knuckleheads bet on who can get into Anabelle’s pants first. But Anabelle isn’t having it.

BeFunky Design2

Anabelle moves in with her father, the Coach. Although she loves him, she wants to get her own place. While searching for an apartment, she overhears the wrestlers talking about Gunderson and Johnson’s bet. Anabelle and Elliot meet in the library, after Anabelle overhears some guys in the gym talking about the bet. Then Elliot meets her again at a party when she gets very drunk. Elliot, the sweet guy that he is, takes care of her. He helps her when she’s sick, and helps drive her back to her house in the morning. Anabelle realizes he has an extra room in his small apartment, so asks to move in.

Elliot’s thoughts? “What if she decides to walk around the house with no pants on and I have to see her ass cheeks? What if I like it?”

They move in together, and Anabelle gets her revenge on the boys, while she slowly falls for Elliot, and Elliot falls for Anabelle. The problem? Elliot is leaving once he graduates. He’s moving to another state for school.

Sara Ney has done it again with this installment. She also says it’s the final one. *sigh* I so would love to see another douchebag story! The writing, the comedy, the story. Everything about it is fantastic.

And oh the twists and turns! There were some WICKED plot twists that I was not expecting, but were fully appreciated!! This read was 5 stars for me!

And I can’t wait to read more from Sara Ney!

BeFunky Design3